Improvement in steam-condensers



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BENJAMIN CfJATKINSON, O FiNEWBURYPoRT, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 91,506, dated June 22, 1869; antedated .Tune 8,'` 1869.

napRovnMnN'r 1N STEAM-comensales'.

The Schedule referred to :In these Letters Patent and making part of the lame.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional elevation, Online.

:c y, of pipe and well for condensed steam.

The object of my invention 'is to Vproduce asteamcondenser', to be -used on vsteam-vessels, which. shall overcome the objections: and serious defects of 'the condensers in use, lessen the cost ofcoustructiou, in-

crease the durability, and .enhance the safety offressels. y,

The nature of myfinveution consistsinnsing the `water in which, the vessel is moving as the condensingmedium, and having the same ejected by the force of the moving vessel, or `herwisaafter it has performed its oliice; in so arranging a condenser that oceanwater or feed-Water may bepumpedfinto the boilers at liberty, without ythe, extravagant use-.pf power in working air-pumps; in saving the use of hot-air or circulating-pump altogether, and, in gencral,'of A the hot-well pump.

My invention has been suggested" to ine-"bythe general want of a goodv steam-condenser, the demands oil engineers, the greatdefects existing in those in use,

and by the following passage/iu Kiugs Steam-En-V gine, 'a standard work,.page.64: ffWater carried at a density that would cause no deposit at a temperature of 220, would make considerable deposit at a temperature Iof 260o or 27 02; and this is the reason why we arev limited to comparatively low steam inboilers using Sea-water. l

Independent of the saving. of the loss by blowing oli', repairs to boilers, labor of cleaning them .&c., this is a powerful reason why inventive genius should endeavor to bring forth a reliable fresh-water condenser,

and wh y Steamship-owners and others, having it within their power, should .encourage all such attempts, from v the fact of the great Vadvantage to be derived from carrying high-pressure steam, and using the expansiveprinciple to its fullest extent.

After Steam Ihas fulfilled its ofl'ces in the cylinder, and been exhausted into a condenser, a certain quantity of cold water mus't be admitted into the condenser, for the purpose of condensing the exhaust steam, and it is my purpose to do this without' the use of pumps, and have thesupply regulated by the speed attained, and the consequent power exerted, and the temperature of the water and the steam.

In the drawingsl A represents the body of the condenser, through which passes pipes a, for steam received from exhaustpipe E.

L is a steam-space within condenser:

0 is a water-pipe, leading to the condenser fromthe water outside the vessel, and. may lead from bows or sides.

D is an ejection-pipe, whose oiice is to convey the condensing-medium from the condenser out of the vessel after it has done its work, and may pass out ou bilge or side opposite O, or at stern.

B is a hot well, and is placed below the level of the condenser.

d is a pipe leading from hot well B to force-pump H. rj )be feed-water is supplied through this pipe.

b is a'feed-pipe, from the condenser to the pump H. Ocean-water is supplied to the boilerthrough this pipe, when desired. j

lt is a stop-cock in pipe d, to check the feed, from B, of fresh water, when ocean-water is being pumped.

fi, is a stop-cock in pipe b, to stop feed of oceanwater when the boiler is beingsupplied fromy well B.

K is a pipe leading from pump H to boiler. E is the exhaust-pipe, from the cylinder to the condenser.

F is a valve in water-induction pipe C, to regulate the ow of cold water into the condenser. v

F is valve in water-eduction pipe D, for regulating discharge -f condensing-medium, in accordance with supply.

lo illustrate the operation of my improved oondenser, we will at first assume that the vessel is in motion.

Now, when steam passes from exhaust to condenser, it enters pipes d.' fOold water passing through coudenser, surrounding pipes a, operates to cool the pipes, and therefore condenses steam, which falls through pipe m to well B.

`This process keeps up a vacuum in the condenser, which, of course, facilitates the passage of steam into pipes a.

When itis desired to feed the boiler with water from well B, the pump H takes water through pipe d. During this operation, the cock 'i in pipe b is closed.

If -it is desired to feed ocean-water through pipe b, pump H does the Work, the same as in the former instance. During this operation, the cock hin pipe d is closed.

I The end of the condenser, where exhaust-pipe E enters it, is warmer than the opposite end. Therefore, by taking ocean-water for the boiler, from this part ot' the condenser, the temperature of the oceanwater is raised, and, according to recognized authorities, considerable benefit results from introducing water of a higher temperature into the boiler.

To facilitate the condensation of steam, and at`the same time assist in raising the temperature of the water which may be drawn through pipe k, this pipe may be coiled about exhaust-pipe E.

It is well known that the movement of the water about the stern of a moving vessel creates a vacuum at the axis of the vessel. Therefore, it follows that the water in the condenser will readily exhaust itself, through pipe D, to the sea.

When the speed of the vessel is increased, of course a greater amount of power is brought into requisition, thereby causing a greater amount of steam to be condensed, consequently requiring more condensing-medium, and necessity of augmenting the supply. This is satisfactorily accomplished, from the fact, that the pipe C, leading directly from the sea, and the pipe D directly to the sea, a perfect conduit of water is established through the condenser.

We then have this proposition: that the supply of condensing-medium is in exact ratio of steam used or speed gained, and this ratio is always above what is actually demanded, by being controlled by the size of the pipe.

Another feature is, this proportionate supply of cold water to steam used and speed gained, results in preserving an even temperature of the tubes within the condenser, thus keeping up the vacuum iu steamspace, thereby avoiding much back-pressure, consequently making a gain of power.

Another advantage from this even temperature, is the removal of the inconvenience of contraction and expansion of pipes, and the consequent necessity of packing the ends of the pipes.

This packing is necessary in the condensers in use, and is a serious objection, which my invention removes.

The contraction and expansion of the pipes, in the condensers in use, is caused by the intermittent spray of cold water falling upon the pipes, and this intermittent action is caused by the strokes of the large air or circulating-pump used, and by heat iom the engine when the pump is not in motion.

By being able to dispense with the air or circulatingpump, Iavoid these serious defects in the standard condensers.

From what I have said, the importance and benefits resulting from an even ow of cool water as condensing-medium, will readily be understood.

When the vessel is at rest, and it is desirable to work the engine, and to condense steam, if the vessel is a propeller, all that is required is to give the screw a few turns, when a vacuum is at once produced at the stern, and water immediately flows in at C, through the condenser and D, to supply the vacuum. This is evident from known laws, but is certain, from demonstration by my actual experiments.

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If the vessel is a side-wheel, not having a screw to turn, for the production of a vacuum at the stern, we may produce a movement through the condenser, by means of a jet of steam through D, or by use of a small pump in D, or other known means of producing vacuum or motion of fluid in the pipes.

As the condenser cannot heat when the engines are not working, as the pipes a are constantly immersed in cold water, rendering it impossible for condenser to become heated from any cause, the diiculty of injection-water entering is prevented when wishing to start.

Neither can engine heat condenser so that it loses its vacuum, for I nd that when the vessel is at rest, and water at rest, and thecondenser has steam passed through it, or is otherwise heated', that the pipe, at the warmest or steam-end, has a current of' water established from it, on the principle of equilibrium, passing out, rising, and -minglingwith the cold water without.

In the construction of my improved condenser, I find that its operation would be as perfect if inductionpipe C were to pass from the water outside over the bows or stern on guuwale of the vessel.

if it were found objectionable to have air pass up tube d, when pumping feed-water into the boiler, a check-valve through partition on line :c y, said valve being situated near the bottom of the well, can be arranged in hot well B, which may be used or not.

The results which I have described, as proceeding from the dierent positions I have taken, are not merely theoretical, but are arrived at 'om actual experiment.

I am aware of the nature construction, and operation of Sewells surface-condenser, and Piersous, and with the diiierent arrangements which have been made to perform the work of a steam-condenser; but I am not aware that any of the inventions known or in use have succeeded in accomplishing thc satisfactory results I have arrived at; therefore, having fully described my improvements, and explained their operation,

What I claim as new, and my invention, is-

The arrangement of the hot well B, pipes b and d, exhaust-pipe E, and pump H, with reference to the condenser A, and pipes 0 and D, substantially as described and specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN 0. ATKINSON.

Witnesses:

0. D. WRIGHT, ALEX. N. Raum. 

